Monday, 29 November 2004

Summer arrives early on a blanket of hot air, The Australian, 29 November, 2004.

Summer arrives early on a blanket of hot air: [1 All-round Country Edition]

Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 29 Nov 2004: 3.
The hottest parts of the continent yesterday were in South Australia, where Oodnadatta, Woomera and Moomba all notched 43C. Temperatures in northwest Western Australia soared well into the 40s, and Ivanhoe in western NSW also hit 43C.
In NSW, total fire bans were imposed in the northern Riverina and southwest of the state, as well as across much of the central west and the Hunter. Very high to extreme fire warnings are in place across much of NSW. In South Australia, there was a total fire ban on the west coast, the Riverland and the Flinders areas, while bans have been imposed across much of the state today. A fire warning has also been issued for the Mallee in Victoria.

Full Text

THE official start of summer is two days away but Australians flocked to beaches from one end of the country to the other yesterday as the season arrived early.
Much of the country is already sweltering ahead of the first day of December on Wednesday, and in Sydney the mercury soared as the city experienced its hottest November day in 16 years.
While the stifling conditions brought discomfort for many, Pacific islanders celebrating their culture at a Bondi festival revelled in the fact that it was just like home. Alofa Brown, a proud grandmother from Niue Islands, described yesterday's weather as "gorgeous", just like the Pacific Islands except for the absence of greenery. "Bondi needs some palm trees," she said. "That is all that is missing."
President of the Pacific Wave Association, Takiora Ingram, who organised yesterday's Pasifika Sunday festival, said there were about 75,000 Pacific islanders living in Sydney. Among the hundreds of participants yesterday were families from the Cook Islands, Tonga, Samoa and Fiji.
"The day is important because Islanders have little chance to practice their culture," she said.
The hottest parts of the continent yesterday were in South Australia, where Oodnadatta, Woomera and Moomba all notched 43C. Temperatures in northwest Western Australia soared well into the 40s, and Ivanhoe in western NSW also hit 43C.
A stagnant blanket of hot air has built up across the inland in the past week. This is expected to move southeast over the next 48 hours into South Australia and NSW, making them even hotter.
Temperatures in Sydney peaked at 38.9C shortly after 4pm yesterday, the hottest November day in 16 years, but forecasters are predicting the city might end up with a new "hottest November day" tomorrow. The previous hottest was 41.8C in 1982.
In NSW, total fire bans were imposed in the northern Riverina and southwest of the state, as well as across much of the central west and the Hunter. Very high to extreme fire warnings are in place across much of NSW. In South Australia, there was a total fire ban on the west coast, the Riverland and the Flinders areas, while bans have been imposed across much of the state today. A fire warning has also been issued for the Mallee in Victoria.
Don White, spokesman for the consultancy firm Weatherwatch, said the conditions were being propelled by "exceptionally hot air" over the centre and northwest of the continent. "That air is going to flow straight over NSW by Tuesday, beating the official start of summer on Wednesday by a day," he said.
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Friday, 26 November 2004

Mother of all parenting dilemmas, The Australian, 26 November, 2004.

Mother of all parenting dilemmas: [1 All-round Country Edition]

Sid Maher, Cindy Tahija, Additional reporting: John Stapleton. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 26 Nov 2004: 2.
Show highlighting
The record low 2003-04 figure was down from 78 children a year earlier, and continues a dramatic 30-year decline in the number ofAustralian children being offered for adoption.
The author of the adoption report, Debbie Noble-Carr, said the decline in the number of Australian-born children available for adoption could be attributed to women making more informed choices about birth control and changing community attitudes towards single parenthood.
Children adopted from China rose from 46 in 2002-03 to 112 in 2003-04, comprising 30 per cent of inter-country adoptions. Adoptions from South Korea and Ethiopia are also on the rise.
ONLY 73 Australian-born children were adopted last year, forcing prospective parents to search overseas to start their families.
The record low 2003-04 figure was down from 78 children a year earlier, and continues a dramatic 30-year decline in the number ofAustralian children being offered for adoption.
Five years ago, 127 Australian-born children were adopted, and in 1980-81 the figure was 1388.
But the total number of adoptions rose 6 per cent to 502 last year as adoptions of overseas-born children reached a 10-year high.
Another 59 Australian children were adopted by a relative or someone who was known to them in 2003-04 -- also a record low.
The snapshot of adoption by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare came as the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed yesterday that the nation's fertility rate remains at a historic low.
The ABS also reported that the median age of women having babies had reached a record high of 30.5 years.
The total fertility rate was 1.75 babies per woman, about the same level it has been for the past six years.
There were 251,200 births registered in Australia in 2003, up 200 on the previous year and the highest since 1997.
The author of the adoption report, Debbie Noble-Carr, said the decline in the number of Australian-born children available for adoption could be attributed to women making more informed choices about birth control and changing community attitudes towards single parenthood.
The number of overseas adoptions reached a 10-year high of 370 in the 12 months to June 30. This compared with 222 overseas children adopted a decade ago.
Children adopted from China rose from 46 in 2002-03 to 112 in 2003-04, comprising 30 per cent of inter-country adoptions. Adoptions from South Korea and Ethiopia are also on the rise.
Despite being put up for adoption before she could talk, Michelle Barnes, 35, holds no grudges.
In fact, Ms Barnes, who now has two children of her own, admires her birth mother for making that difficult decision so that she could have a better start to life.
"It must have been the hardest thing she ever did, but she was thinking of my welfare. It was the era," she said.
Ms Barnes began the search for her biological family only when she had children of her own.
She discovered her mother, now dead, was 20 when she was born, did not want to marry her father and, given the lack of support and social disapproval of single mothers at the time, thought that she was doing the best thing for her daughter.
Features -- Page 13
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Adoption an option we're giving up, The Australian, 26 November, 2004 Additional reporting

Adoption, an option we're giving up: [2 All-round First Edition]

Sid Maher, Cindy Tahija. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 26 Nov 2004: 2.
The record low 2003-04 figure was down from 78 children a year earlier, and continues a dramatic 30-year decline in the number of Australian children being offered for adoption.
The author of the adoption report, Debbie Noble-Carr, said the decline in the number of Australian-born children available for adoption could be attributed to women making more informed choices about birth control and changing community attitudes towards single parenthood.
Children adopted from China rose from 46 in 2002-03 to 112 in 2003-04, comprising 30 per cent of inter-country adoptions. Adoptions from South Korea and Ethiopia are also on the rise.

Full Text


ONLY 73 Australian-born children were adopted last year, forcing prospective parents to search overseas to start their families.
The record low 2003-04 figure was down from 78 children a year earlier, and continues a dramatic 30-year decline in the number of Australian children being offered for adoption.
Five years ago, 127 Australian-born children were adopted, and in 1980-81 the figure was 1388.
But the total number of adoptions rose 6 per cent to 502 last year as adoptions of overseas-born children reached a 10-year high.
Another 59 Australian children were adopted by a relative or someone who was known to them in 2003-04 -- also a record low.
The snapshot of adoption by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare came as the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed yesterday that the nation's fertility rate remained at a historic low.
The ABS also reported that the median age of women having babies had reached a record high of 30.5 years.
The total fertility rate was 1.75 babies per woman, about the same level it has been for the past six years.
There were 251,200 births registered in Australia last year, up 200 on the previous year and the highest since 1997.
The author of the adoption report, Debbie Noble-Carr, said the decline in the number of Australian-born children available for adoption could be attributed to women making more informed choices about birth control and changing community attitudes towards single parenthood.
The number of overseas adoptions reached a 10-year high of 370 in the 12 months to June 30. This compared with 222 overseas children adopted a decade ago.
Children adopted from China rose from 46 in 2002-03 to 112 in 2003-04, comprising 30 per cent of inter-country adoptions. Adoptions from South Korea and Ethiopia are also on the rise.
Despite being put up for adoption before she could talk, Michelle Barnes, 35, holds no grudges.
In fact, Ms Barnes, who now has two children of her own, admires her birth mother for making that difficult decision so that she could have a better start to life.
"It must have been the hardest thing she ever did, but she was thinking of my welfare. It was the era," she said.
Ms Barnes began the search for her biological family only when she had children of her own.
She discovered her mother, now dead, was 20 when she was born, did not want to marry her father and, given the lack of support and social disapproval of single mothers at the time, thought that she was doing the best thing for her daughter.
Additional reporting: John Stapleton
Features -- Page 13
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Monday, 22 November 2004

Asthma drug a killer, Senate inquiry hears, The Australian, 22 November, 2004.

Asthma drug a killer, Senate inquiry hears: [1 All-round Country Edition]

Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 22 Nov 2004: 4.
Show highlighting
A US trial last year involving Serevent and a dummy treatment was halted after 13 people taking Serevent died. GlaxoSmithKline was forced to place a warning on its packaging.
Doctors said Serevent was most commonly prescribed in conjunction with other drugs. The product Seretide, for example, the leading asthma preventer with 2.5million local scripts written annually, is a combination of Serevent and an anti-inflammatory.
"Our concern as paediatricians is that kids with very mild asthma are being put on Seretide as a first choice, rather than just using a non-steroidal or inhaled steroid." A company spokeswoman said: "GlaxoSmithKline stands firmly behind Serevent, which is safe and effective when used appropriately and in accordance with labelling and treatment guidelines." Three other drugs named by the FDA's spokesman as having safety concerns were on sale in Australia; Reductil, Roaccutane and Bextra.

THOUSANDS of asthma sufferers are misusing a popular treatment drug, which has been blamed for the deaths of 13 people in the US.
Australian doctors write 200,000 prescriptions a year for Serevent.
A senior member of the US Food and Drug Administration, David Graham, is pushing for a review of the research that supported the drug's approval.
"We have had cases of people dying clutching their Serevent inhalers," Dr Graham told a US Senate inquiry last week.
The share price of manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline, with more than $US4billion ($5.1billion) in annual sales from Serevent products, dropped sharply after Dr Graham's testimony.
He was responsible for exposing the linking of arthritis painkiller Vioxx to increased heart attacks, triggering its withdrawal from sale last month.
A US trial last year involving Serevent and a dummy treatment was halted after 13 people taking Serevent died. GlaxoSmithKline was forced to place a warning on its packaging.
Australia's national drug regulator, the Therapeutic Goods Administration, issued a warning here in June, based on the US research, that Serevent should be used only in combination with other drugs.
"We educate the doctors, the doctors need to ensure their patients are educated," spokeswoman Kay McNiece said. She was unable to say how many adverse reactions had been recorded in Australia but said reports would be closely monitored.
Doctors said Serevent was most commonly prescribed in conjunction with other drugs. The product Seretide, for example, the leading asthma preventer with 2.5million local scripts written annually, is a combination of Serevent and an anti-inflammatory.
John Morton, director of respiratory medicine at Sydney Children's Hospital, said some patients might use Serevent on its own because it was very effective in reducing asthma symptoms.
He said there was also increasing concern in the medical profession over the widespread use of Seretide.
"We are concerned it is being used excessively," he said. "It is a heavy-duty medication. As specialists, we would use it as our third choice, certainly in children.
"Our concern as paediatricians is that kids with very mild asthma are being put on Seretide as a first choice, rather than just using a non-steroidal or inhaled steroid." A company spokeswoman said: "GlaxoSmithKline stands firmly behind Serevent, which is safe and effective when used appropriately and in accordance with labelling and treatment guidelines." Three other drugs named by the FDA's spokesman as having safety concerns were on sale in Australia; Reductil, Roaccutane and Bextra.
Reductil, for weight-loss, is not in widespread use and has restrictions placed upon it.
Roaccutane, used for severe acne, can be prescribed only by specialists, and Bextra, an arthritis pain-relieving drug, is being reviewed.
SEREVENT
* Serevent is used as an inhaler to dilate airways of people with severe asthma.
* Should only be used in combination with other drugs.
* Made by GlaxoSmithKline, which insists it is safe.
* In a US study, among the 13,176 getting Serevent, 13 died, compared with three among the 13,179 receiving a dummy treatment.
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Free rides for all on city trains, The Australian, 22 November, 2004.

Free rides for all on city trains: [3 All-round Metro Edition]

Stapleton, John. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 22 Nov 2004: 6.
Show highlighting
COMMUTERS on the CityRail network in and around Sydney, from north of Newcastle to Nowra in the south, are getting a free ride today after months of turmoil, including extensive delays and overcrowding.
Long-suffering train commuters won the fare-free travel after the NSW Government caved in to a protest campaign for a "no-pay day" and Premier Bob Carr overruled rail executives who had threatened to fine fare evaders.
COMMUTERS on the CityRail network in and around Sydney, from north of Newcastle to Nowra in the south, are getting a free ride today after months of turmoil, including extensive delays and overcrowding.
Long-suffering train commuters won the fare-free travel after the NSW Government caved in to a protest campaign for a "no-pay day" and Premier Bob Carr overruled rail executives who had threatened to fine fare evaders.
Mr Carr said yesterday the fare-free day was an acknowledgment of the frustration felt by many Sydney commuters, and conceded that people often received "a bloody atrocious service".
The campaign was led by legal secretary Rebecca Turner, who urged people to refuse to pay their fares as a protest against thecondition of the public transport system.
"This protest is the first thing that has got a positive response out of the Government to do something for us," Ms Turner said. "Thetrains have been just disgusting, atrocious.
"I hope this prompts the Government to recognise the urgency of the situation and do something about it."
Helen Willoughby, a spokeswoman for Railcorp, said plans were in place to ensure smooth operations during the day. Vending machines were closed from midnight last night for 24 hours. Peak periods were running at capacity, but increased patronage was expected during the off-peak period.
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Commuters ride rail free, The Australian, 22 November, 2004.

Commuters ride rail free: [1 All-round Country Edition]

Stapleton, John. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 22 Nov 2004: 6.
Show highlighting
Long-suffering train commuters won the fare-free travel after the NSW Government caved in to a protest campaign for a "no-pay day" and Premier Bob Carr overruled rail executives who had threatened to fine fare evaders.
Unions NSW secretary John Robertson was supportive, saying: "We think commuters and rail workers alike have suffered at the hands of Railcorp management. The whole system is suffering from a lack of funding."
COMMUTERS on the CityRail network in and around Sydney, from north of Newcastle to Nowra in the south, are getting a free ride today after months of turmoil, including extensive delays and overcrowding.
Long-suffering train commuters won the fare-free travel after the NSW Government caved in to a protest campaign for a "no-pay day" and Premier Bob Carr overruled rail executives who had threatened to fine fare evaders.
Mr Carr said yesterday the fare-free day was an acknowledgment of the frustration felt by many Sydney commuters, and conceded that people often received "a bloody atrocious service".
The campaign was led by legal secretary Rebecca Turner, who urged people to refuse to pay their fares as a protest against the condition of the public transport system. She said her campaign had engendered a massive public response,
"This protest is the first thing that has got a positive response out of the Government to do something for us," Ms Turner said. "The trains have been just disgusting, atrocious -- they are ruining people's lives.
"They can't get anywhere on time. They are missing out on jobs. Employers are deeming people unreliable because of the poor state of public transport.
"I hope this prompts the Government to recognise the urgency of the situation and do something about it."
Unions NSW secretary John Robertson was supportive, saying: "We think commuters and rail workers alike have suffered at the hands of Railcorp management. The whole system is suffering from a lack of funding."
Helen Willoughby, a spokeswoman for Railcorp, said plans were in place to ensure smooth operations during the day. Vending machines were closed from midnight last night for 24 hours. Peak periods were running at capacity, but increased patronage was expected during the off-peak period.
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